Life in the Herd

Research can be a friend

Part of the college experience is embracing opportunities as they come to you and making the best of every situation. Throughout the years here, I have had my fair share of  “situations” to face; the good, the bad, and the ugly. (You know ugly, like when you wake up on the day before your trip to DC with a giant zit the size of Texas on the very tip of your nose. Yeah, I’ve been there.)

But, today I the opportunity to embrace a very good situation. Last semester, I took a political science class in which I was required to write a HUGE quantitative research paper. Shortly after I turned in this 34-page paper, my professor told the class about the College of Liberal Arts Undergraduate Research and Creativity Conference. She suggested that those of us who were ambitious enough should turn in an abstract to the committee. I wasn’t sure what the whole thing was about, and I have to admit, I knew it would look good on a resume.

So, fast forward about three months, and I recieve an e-mail from the head of the committee congratulating me and saying that my research would be included in the conference. Because of this, I would be required to give a 15-minute presentation and then entertain a questions.

Talk about a shock! First of all, I had completely forgot about applying for it. Second, a fifteen minute presentation! 15 minutes! In the midst of everything else I had going on, I had to write a 15 minute long presentation. But, that was the easy part! I then had to get up the nerve to give it.

Okay, so I know what you are thinking. She gives tours and writes about her entire life. But, this is completely a different story. This is in a professional setting with everyone focused directly on me. If I messed up, these people were going to know it. And, trust me, it is much easier to talk about Marshall than about numbers dealing with obesity in America.

Well, today was the big day and I made it through! Maybe I read from my notecards way too much or talked too fast, but I made it through. And, that my friend is what college is all about. Okay, I know I sound lame, but don’t we go away to college so that we can learn and grow as a person. Well, that’s exactly what happened. I learned that I can give a presentation without freaking out!

I have always been more of a background person, and I most certainly do not want to be the only person on stage, but today I learned that I can handle the situation. And, to top it all off, I got a great piece of experience to add to my resume. I presented personal research at a university-wide research conference.

But, now it is on to the next challenge: writing a thousand-word paper on comparing the government set-up of a country and comparing it to their claimed type of ideology. Yeah, I got my work cut out for me!

Disappointment

I know that the title of this post is a downer. I mean who really wants to read a blog about disappointment? Please stick with me, I promise you that it isn’t as bad as it seems.

So before I begin, I must confess that I am a perfectionist. I am the girl that still has a 4.0 GPA as a junior. I work my butt off everyday to get those A’s because, trust me, college isn’t easy. Okay, that being said, I have another confession to make.

I hate it when I study harder for a test than I ever have before and still do not do well on it. I recently took an exam in my geography class. I approached it as more of a battle, and trust it won an easy victory! Remember, I am the broadcast journalism and political science major, so my geography science class is a little out of my league.

I studied for a few days straight and devoted six hours on the night before the test to studying for this exam. I have never done this before for a test. (and probably never will again!) So you can feel my dissappointment when I opened up WebCT (an online progam that some professors post projects, grades, and quizzes) to find that I had made an 82 on it. Now, you may be thinking that that isn’t bad, but it wasn’t the grade as much as the wasted time.

I feel as though I have wasted my time when I study for hours and still don’t do extremely well on a test. Do you know how many things I could have done with those six hours of my day? My friends often get mad at me for being such a perfectionist, but if I spend half my day studying for a test than I expect to get a good grade in return.

So, my disappointment has set in, and as the end of the semester approaches,  I am quickly realizing that my 4.0 might just be a thing of the past. But, what is perhaps even more frustrating, it is not in a difficult class or because of a lack of time spent working hard.

And, that my friend, is complete and utter disappointment. There is nothing worse than trying your hardest and your hardest not being good enough. What are you supposed to do, when you have done all you can do? Well, I still do not have an answer to that question and I am trying desperately to tell myself that I am not a loser for not understanding the concepts of one class. But, I did come across one profound observation that made me feel slightly better about my situation.

My sister and  brother-in-law are both teachers and are on spring break this week. As Marshall alumni they chose to spend this week in Huntington, and I have spent most of my free time with them. (In fact, as I am writing this, I am sitting in their hotel room as my nephew takes a nap.) They both know a thing or two about being Marshall students and they often laugh at me when I stress about the grade situation. Their response? “What does it matter anyways?’

Okay, so let me tell you, this makes me infuriated. In a very frantic, huffy voice I respond, “Well, how am I supposed to get into a good school if I can’t get a stinkin’ A in geography? How am I supposed to get a good job?” Again, they laugh at me, which again infuriates. (My sister is 12 years older than me and often gets enjoyment out of my immaturity and my brother in law certainly likes to push my nerves.)

I feel as though I should go into a bit more detail, while my sister strove for good grades a B didn’t crush her spirit. And, it certainly hasn’t hurt her in a long run as she has her master’s degree and her principal’s certification. Knowing this, it becomes ever so slightly clear to me that grades don’t matter. Yes, you have to pass your classes to get a degree and grades do matter in entering grad school, but is working myself to the bone and worrying myself sick over grades worth it? Not really.

Will I continue to worry? Yep.

Am I going to study 10 hours for the next geography test? You betcha!

But, am I going to have abreakdown if I get a B? Well, I am still working on that one.

Overcoming fears

Before coming to college, I was never willing to do anything on my own. I was always afraid that I was whatever it was up. If it came to paperwork, I made my Mom or Dad double check. Need to make an important phone call? I would definitely call my Mommy. I never trusted my judgement, and I was not confident enough to ask questions and put myself out there.

This week, I have been working a lot on my internship paperwork. I admit, I thought that once you found an internship that the hard part was over, but that is not the case! So much paperwork to do for everything from financial aid to admissions. I had been stressing out for many weeks approaching Spring Break because although I am a junior, I still have not had to do much of this myself. I couldn’t get up the courage to go into Old Main and talk to the staff to figure out exactly what paperwork I needed to do.

Over Spring Break, I resorted back to my old stand by and asked my Mom. She was able to get every question answered and figured out exactly what paperwork needed to be filled out, but then came the hard part. I was going to have to ask for the forms in person, fill them out and turn them in, ask for signatures, and do all the “dirty work”. All this chickening out and I was still going to have to do everything!

So, Monday morning, I made my way to the seemingly frightening offices and began the process. It took me nearly all week to get everything accomplished, but everyone was extremely helpful and understanding along the way. I practically became a fixture in the admissions and financial aid offices. The staff never got annoyed with my questions or thought I was stupid for them. (Although I am pretty sure some of my questions were quite amusing!)

In the end, I was able to do it! This may sound lame, but I feel more confident since I have been able to muster up the courage to walk in the office by myself and take care of everything. It definitely helped me out that everyone in the offices were so kind and understanding. It really showed me how much i have grown since entering college. Before I would have had a breakdown because I would have been so afraid, but now I can suck it up and do it.

My friends often wonder how I can put anything down on paper (or in digital form) and can give tours of campus to complete strangers, but when it comes to being in front of a class or asking questions, I tend to freak out. I always tell them that we all have those little things that make us awkward that we have to overcome. I am just beginning to learn how much being at Marshall has helped me do just that.

The Final Stretch

Spring Break has come and gone all too soon. This year, my best friend and I decided to tackle the streets of New York City, a new experience for me. In the last week, I have had many firsts: flying, trying seafood, walking 38 blocks, shopping at stores I can’t afford and rode a Ferris wheel in a toy store (Just a note, go to the Toys R’ Us in Times Square and ride the Ferris wheel. No matter your age, it’s a blast.)  In that week, I tried not to think about what’s come; it’s that final stretch between the break and finals.

It’s also that time of year where the grass is becoming a little greener and ripe in smell. The sweaters and heavy coats are finding their places in the back of your closet as you say hello to your short sleeve shirts and light-weight jackets. The sun is staying out a little bit longer and you find yourself looking out the window during class and wishing you could be outside. Spring is slowly, but surely, coming to Huntington and spring fever will soon catch on campus.

Students are definitely hanging outside more now, and this week is Greek Week for our fraternities and sororities. It’s a week filled with competition as the Greek organization face each other in everything from trivia contests to tug-of-war. I watched today as the girls of different sororities battled it out over a game of soccer on Buskirk Field. It’s a time that those involved in these groups wear their letters proudly and strive to be the best on campus.

While the weather is warming up, the spring semester is winding down. In just a short five weeks, I will be preparing for finals and gearing up for summer. But in that final five weeks, I have a few papers to write and exams to study for.  Even though it’s quite tempting to miss class so I can enjoy the sunshine, I remind myself that if I can just make through this final stretch then I will be ready for summer. I’ve decided to lighten my final year load by taking a summer class. Marshall is offering four different sessions that run at different intervals. A lot of students stay in Huntington in the summer not only for employment but to take courses that will help with scheduling in the fall and spring.  I have registered to take my journalism capstone class from July 14-August 14. The class will finish just in time for the start of Fall 2009, which will be here before we know it, but hopefully not too soon.

It’s hard to believe that another semester will be over in a blink of an eye. Time flies by.

My two homes

If I could describe my life in one word, it would be hectic. Everyday I am running several different places to get things accomplished: meetings, class, homework, and squeezing in gym time. My calender has so many scribbles in it, I can barely make out what some of the writing is. I have post-it notes scattered throughout my room reminding me to do this, read that, and “Don’t forget to study!”

My life is so jammed packed that most weekends are booked solid, and because of my crazy schedule I have not been home since the semester started. Now, when I say home, I mean the place I grew up, the place where my parents live. As a college student, I feel as if I am in limbo, a person with two homes. I often confuse my family and friends because I use the word “Home” to describe both my room here in Huntington, as well as my parent’s house. And, to me both are equally my home.

So, finally, here we are, approaching Spring Break. And, I am leaving one home to finally go home to the other. I know that many college students use the break as an excuse to go on extravagent vacations to sunny beaches or other exciting places. But, not me. I am going straight home tomorrow, and I could not be happier about it.

Coming from a very close-knit family, I grew up spending most of my free time with my family. Since I have been in college, I have adapted to life where I rely on myself, where I have to make other friends instead of relying on my family. But, whenever breaks roll around I am ready to go home. While I am engrossed in my busy life when I am here, once I get home I revel in the quiet simplicity of being home.

So, while I still have homework to worry about, my spring break will be spent at home with my family. And, when the week is over, while it will be bittersweet to leave, I will come back to my other home, to reunite with my other family, my friends.

Could Someone Please Pass the Robitussin?

College can be rough if you are sick. The last two weeks leading up to spring break, I was pretty miserable. The mountains of homework piling up were becoming that much harder to complete. I tried cough syrup, cough drops, and everything in between to clear up my chest cold. It only got worse. However, I wasn’t the only one suffering from this disease plaguing the tri-state area. It seemed nearly everyone you met had been sick or knew someone who was. You just have to love flu season!

My point behind this entry is there’s no point in exhausting yourself. I pushed myself until I was so sick I could hardly get anything done (other than lay on my couch and watch movies all day). Marshall has many services for students needing medical attention. Sick packs, including the necessities for the ailing student, are available as well as some free treatments at student health in Cabell Huntington Hospital. In my case, I decided to wait it out and not take advantage of these perks. Big mistake! Students never need to feel like there isn’t anyone who cares about their health as much as they do. So next time you get that achy, sniffly, coughing feeling, head over to a doctor. You won’t regret it. Trust me, I know!

Keep on keepin’ on

Through all of the hecticness that is midterm week, I find it hard to look to the future and see that everything will be worth it… eventually. I have certainly been in this position this week, despite the fact that my midterm week was really a midterm two days.

As I crammed for the three test and worked on the presentation all weekend, I wasn’t thinking about anything other than, “How in the world and I going to survive this week?” and “If I can just make it to Wednesday!” But, when I am completely engrossed in homework, I can’t help but think every now and then, “Is it all worth it?” I always come out with the same answer, but this time the answer was quite a bit louder.

This Wednesday was the last home basketball game of the men’s basketball season. Now, as I have said in previous posts, I am a bit of a sports junkie. (I have actually only missed one game all season, and lucky me, it had to be the one with “Markel’s Miracle.”) So, of course I was in attendance for the last game this season.

As I watched the senior night festivities and watched as the two members of the team who were playing their last game in the Cam Henderson Center, I realized that at no other point in my life will I be able to have these experiences. Where else can I get into every athletic event for free? But, what is even more prophetic is what I learned from the graduating senior player.

As any avid Marshall sports fan knows, senior Markel Humphrey is the heart and soul of the men’s basketball team. Throughout this season the team has been plagued with injuries and rarely had the full team dressed. Humphrey himself has faced many injuries throughout his career at Marshall, and this season he played while nursing his many injuries. But, he never gave up. He was in the paint working for every possible shot. He was rallying the team. He was the leader of the team and was playing the sport that he clearly loved.

At the end of the game, Humphrey got on his hands and knees and kissed the “M” painted into the middle of the court. Then it hit me. In the college, and in the game of life in general, we are often hurting, we are often facing adversity, and often it seems as if every person on our team is down for the count. But, we have to have the attitude of never giving up, the attitude of knowing that we WILL make it and that we WILL make a difference. Because when all things are over, we need to be the one that didn’t get up, the one that has the fans chanting our names, the one that leaves a legacy.

College is like everything else in life- it is all what you make it. Despite  my incessant complaining in phone calls to my parents about how overloaded with school work I feel, I always make it through. And, when it is all over, I will be sad to leave. While I may not have the entire Cam Henderson Center chanting my name when I graduate, I hope to have made an impact to someone somewhere, if by nothing more than by my dedication and borderline obsessive compulsion disorder.

Time flies when you are having fun

For me, everyday has to be taken one day at a time. I have so much going on each day that I cannot look too far into the future. I am pretty sure that if I look past the end of one week to what the next has in store, I would hyperventilate. This week, I did just that, and it was perhaps the worse and best thing that I have ever done.

Next week is midterms. This realization hit me like a ton of bricks as I realized the many things that I have to do. Not only do I have three test in just two days, but I also have a presentation on one of those days. This workload is a lot for anyone to handle, but throw in the fact that one is completely fill in the blanks and you have a disaster waiting to happen.

As I sat staring at my open agenda, I realized that I was going to need a miracle to help me get through it. After my mini-breakdown, which included a tearful phone call to my parents, I was feeling much better. (The quote “What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger” will hopefully ring true in this case.) I was feeling better because I had realized that there had been many times throughout the years that there were moments that I thought were too much to handle. Every class brings a new and different challenge and it is how we face it that defines us.

So, as I spend this entire weekend in my room reading notes, textbooks, slideshows, and praying for a miracle, I will keep in mind that the multi-tasking that is required of a college student is only a minuscule of what will be required of me when I enter the dreaded real world.

Clearly, I am a glutton for punishment in life, and I looked past next week and on into the future. Then it hit me, it isn’t just midterm season again, but it is the midterm of my junior year. Junior year!! That means that if all goes as planned I will be entering into my life as a real adult in just over a year. Not only did this make me feel old, but it made me worry about all that was to come.

Will I get a job? Or, will I go to graduate school? Will I move away? Or, will I stay here? There were so many questions that were running through my brain, that I was on the verge of another mini-breakdown phone call to my parents. (I am very thankful to have parents that will listen to me freak out when things start to unravel.) Then, the e-mail came.

Every student in the school of journalism at Marshall is required to participate in an internship before they can graduate. This internship can be completed anytime throughout a student’s time as an undergraduate, but being the procrastinator that I am, I have yet to complete mine. Over winter break, I had completed many different applications for various internships, but I had not heard back from any of them… until the e-mail.

This e-mail turned out to be the chance of a lifetime. It was from the person in charge of one the internship programs that I had applied for. I was accepted into the program and will be spending my summer in Washington, D.C. and will be immersed in aspects of both politics and journalism.

So, while something good has come out of looking into the future, I am a little more nervous, yet so much more excited. And, while I am freaking out about my seventeen million things that must be done next week, I will remind myself that every tough class and schedule is only preparing me for my future.

Climbing the Hills of Schoolwork and the Elliptical Machine

I had a thought as I was working out last night in our new recreation center: using the new fitness equipment is almost like tackling schoolwork and exams at midterms. You’re excited to sit down and get started with the new semester just as you sit on the machine and prepare your muscles to pull the weight that will help you reach a weight goal or help you tone. In the middle of the repetition, you feel your muscles tighten and it becomes more difficult to push or pull the weight. You want to quit because it hurts and feel like you can’t do anymore. You know that you can just stop now, pat yourself on the back and tell yourself that you did a good job just getting on the machine and doing maybe 10 of the 20 repetitions you had planned to do.  Or you can push through the pain and finish those last 10 repetitions and finish what you started.

It may seem like a pretty silly analogy, but that’s how midterms feel like to me right now.  The exams have crept up on me. In the horizon, there’s the promise of spring break in two weeks, a time that every Marshall student is looking forward to.  And honestly, thinking about spring break in New York City is far more fun to think about than studying biology, reading for media law or writing papers.

These midterms are almost like those repetitions that I face almost every day in the recreation center that opened just a little over a month ago. I tell myself that if I can make it through studying for some of the hardest midterms that I have faced in a while, then the payoff will be worth it.  A good grade on a midterm exam or paper can set the stage for what grade you may receive at the end of the semester.  If you do well at midterm, chances are you will be fine when finals roll around or if you find yourself in a midterm slump, you’ll have to work that much harder to get the grade you want at finals.  You don’t have to face this challenge alone, though; you have professors who are willing to help you.  I have a huge media law midterm later this evening that I’ve been studying for a while now,  and my professor has been very helpful to me as far as helping me prepare for the content of his midterm. When you have the help and the encouragement to do well, it makes it that much easier when it comes to test taking time to finish it and finish it well. Just like finishing those last 10 repetitions, earning that high grade makes the time and effort well worth it.

While on the topic of the recreation center, I would like to say that it’s slowly becoming one of my favorite places on campus (although Drinko Library and its comfy hiding spots for studying surely will remain number one in my heart) and it’s definitely becoming a new hang out for Marshall students.  I’ve been going almost every day for the last two-three weeks and I’ve enjoyed working out on the new equipment like the tredmills, elliptical machine and bikes. I like to walk a mile on the new indoor track that circles the entire center and I’ve been giving my muscles a workout on the new weight machines.  It seems that every time I go inside to work out, whether it be early in the mornings or late at night, there’s always people there playing basketball or racquetballand there hasn’t been a time yet that I haven’t ran into one of my friends either going swimming or going to run on the track. And just like your professors helping you out in class or during midterms to give you that little extra push, there are personal trainers and assistants that can help you with your work out and teach you how to use the machines properly so you can make the most of your time. The recreation center has been a long time coming and I’m glad that now we have a new place on campus to play, take fitness courses and have fun.

Just as I continue to climb hills on the elliptical machine, I will continue climbing that hill that is finishing my midterms that will eventfully turn into finishing my eight semester here at Marshall on a high note.

Accept the Challenge

I’m not going to lie, my life is very, very, VERY busy right now. For some reason I thought 18 hours of very challenging classes was a smart idea. What was I thinking!?!? Actually, it’s not as bad as it seems. First of all, for those of you wondering, college schedules are set-up a lot differently from high school. You get to chose your own classes (after your first semester) based on the requirements for your major. This is done about a month before either Winter or Summer break, typically online. Most of the time, one class is going to worth 3 hours of credit. Some vary, but that is the general rule of thumb. Full-time students are required to take a minimuum of 12 hours (about 4 classes). I would say the average is about 15 hours. 18 hours can be difficult. Six different classes to keep up with is enough to boggle anyone’s mind. In my case, I have to write for the school newspaper right now which takes up a good 75 percent of my time. Then there’s spanish, photo/video editing, literature, political science, and a large service project to finish. I’m also involved several clubs. And I’m pretty sure I have a family somewhere that is probably missing me. My point is that yes, this semester is certainly my hardest thus far. The weird thing is, I kind of enjoy it! I’m doing things that interest me. I feel like I’m learning so much that can be used in future classes, internships, and jobs. No one comes to college just to squeak by. There are going to be many challenges throughout the four years you spend in undergrad. Those challenges are what help you grow as a person and learn the skills you need to succeed.